Ardbeg Uigeadail
Ardbeg · Ardbeg Distillery
Uigeadail is one of the great arguments for marrying peated malt with sherry casks. The interplay between smoke and fruit is endlessly rewarding, and the cask strength bottling lets the drinker find their own balance with water. An essential Islay experience.
Nose
A dramatic collision of maritime peat smoke and sherry sweetness. Dark chocolate, espresso, and dried figs emerge beneath the smoky curtain. A few drops of water reveal Christmas cake and a whiff of iodine.
Palate
Intensely layered — smoky bacon, raisined malt, and black treacle fight for attention in the best possible way. The cask strength delivery amplifies everything without tipping into harshness. There's a surprising floral note, almost like rosewater, that appears mid-palate.
Finish
Extraordinarily long. Peat smoke, dark cocoa, and dried fruit linger for minutes. A medicinal, tarry quality emerges at the very end, grounding the sweetness.
- Region
- Islay
- Cask Type
- Ex-bourbon and oloroso sherry
- Peat Level (PPM)
- ~55 ppm
- Distillation
- Double distilled in copper pot stills
- Maturation
- Ex-bourbon barrels and oloroso sherry butts
- Chill-Filtered
- Non-chill filtered
Cocktail Suggestion
Peat & Honey — 2 oz Ardbeg Uigeadail · 0.75 oz honey syrup (2:1) · 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice · Shake with ice, strain into a rocks glass over a large cube, garnish with a lemon twist.
Food Pairing
Smoked duck breast with fig compote
Named after the deep loch that supplies Ardbeg's water, Uigeadail is a vatting of bourbon-matured and oloroso sherry-matured whiskies selected by Dr. Bill Lumsden at Ardbeg's storied south-coast distillery.
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